Tim Hudson: Could 2013 Be His Final Year In Baseball?

Tim Hudson has been the definition of consistent over the past decade. His record with the Atlanta Braves is 105-68 (.618) with a 3.52 ERA. Hudson’s Athletics days included a 92-39 Record (.706) and a 3.30 ERA. At 37 Years old, how many years does he have left?

By Jake Dal Porto (MLB Reports Baseball Writer)

When we think of consistency, there are a handful of names that come to mind. No, I’m not talking about consistency over a brief period of time. Rather, over a good part of the last decade. One name that comes to mind quite quickly is Tim Hudson (3.37 ERA, 126 ERA+ since 2002). But the same Tim Hudson that’s been nothing short of rock solid since the beginning of 2002, is beginning to decline, which fashions only one daunting question.

Will 2013 be his final year in baseball?

Tim Hudson Highlight Reel:

Hudson is 49-26 (.653) in his last 3 years – including a 16-7 record last season.

There are several factors to consider, but that question mainly surfaces because he won’t be under contract after this upcoming season. So what team would really want to add a pitcher approaching 38 Years old to their rotation? Very few. Further, what team would want to add an ineffective 38 Year-old? Pretty much none. Ineffective could be where Hudson’s headed if 2012 was any indication.

Well actually, on the surface Hudson didn’t have that bad of a season. He went 16-7 with a respectable 3.62 ERA and an ERA+ of 110, which nearly qualifies as a career-worst mark. Realistically, outside of a pedestrian month of May (4.73 ERA) – and a few expected hiccups throughout the season, Hudson was his same old self. But, it’s not necessarily his numbers that spark concern over his reliability in 2013 and beyond. It’s the surrounding factors that call for concern.

Of those surrounding factors, his diminishing fastball speed can be classified as one of the more concerning caveats. It’s not as if Hudson has never been much of a flamethrower, but in 2012, he took a small yet massive step back – with being below 90 Miles Per Hour (MPH) range. Yes, very scary, I know.

Hudson’s average fastball speed clocked in at exactly 89 MPH, a career-low. You wouldn’t have to be a rocket scientist baseball scout to jump to the conclusion that his age is a big reason for his velocity dip. Of course there are other components to consider, but his declining arm is the main one.

Naturally, opposing hitters found more success against his fastball than they found in recent years. They had an OPS of .680 with a slugging percentage of .333. The OPS is elevated, but he actually didn’t give up any home runs through his fastball. Thus, the nifty slugging percentage. Moreover, opponents’ ISO – which measures extra-base hits – .095 off Hudson further explains his knack to limiting anything more than singles.

However, Hudson’s off-speed pitches didn’t exactly qualify as dominant either. His sinker and curveball both were smacked around for extra bases at a higher clip than in recent years. Perhaps the velocity plunge played a role in the overall effectiveness. A slower fastball would slim the margin in MPH between his off-speed pitches.

While, his fastball wasn’t necessarily beat up what if 2012 was just a sign of what’s to come? Come next offseason, how many teams would be willing to offer him a contract if his velocity drops even more this upcoming season, and his off-speed pitches weaken even more?

Obviously, there is no definite answer to these disconcerting questions at the moment. In a few months when he’s well into the season, then yeah, we should have a pretty clear answer.

At this point, Hudson probably has a couple more years left. Worst case scenario, some team will pick him up off the scrap heap next winter if 2013 doesn’t go well. But, it’s unlikely that he’ll ever be dominant again.

Hudson has been a 3 time ALL-Star, and has finished in top 6 Cy Young Voting on four different occasions (2,4,5 and 6th). As of right now, The RHP sits in 4th for ALL Time Win Percentage amongst pitchers with a .654 Clip (197-104). Only Roy Halladay (.666), Jered Weaver (.662) and Justin Verlander (.656) sit ahead of him.

Jake Dal Porto is a Baseball Writer with MLB reports and a student from the Bay Area. Jake’s favorite sports moment was when the Giants won the World Series back in 2010. He loves to use sabermetrics in his work. He thinks they are the best way to show a player’s real success compared to the basic stats such as ERA, RBIs, and Wins. Jake also enjoys interacting and debating with his readers. Follow him on Twitter:

Please e-mail us at: mlbreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox, click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.

Chuck Booth’s 218 MLB Game 30 Parks Road Trip In 2015

2015 Full Year Road Trip Stats

Trip Stats: Miles Driven (0) Miles Air (0) Total Miles (0) In Altuves () $ Spent So Far ($12202) Hot Dogs Eaten (0) Energy Drinks Consumed (0) Subs Eaten (0) Chilli's (0) # Of Days On the Road (0) Games Seen (0) Games Left (218) Days remaining (183).

Sully posts a 20 Minute Podcast daily that is the most entertaining time you will spend online! He will do a brand new show 365 days a year, unless it is a leap year, then he will do another 1! Latest Show Right Underneath In The Next Widget Down - Thursday Oct.30, 2014) - 738th Consecutive Day With An Episode!

Madbum dominated. Affeldt was terrific. Gordon nearly tied it + Chevy Guy may have been staged

Chuck Booth’s 30 MLB Parks Trip World Record Page

In 2012, Chuck Booth attended a complete game in all 30 MLB Parks in just 23 calendar days, click the image of he and Larry Lucchino to read all about it.

The MLB BallPark Pass-Port Is A Must Purchase For Those Planning To See All 30

The Ballpark Passport is quickly becoming the favorite item among Ballpark Chasers, to chronicle their life goal to see all 30 Major League Parks. You are able to receive the stamps kit for a small additional price. At around $75 all combined, it will contain one of the biggest memento's ever for a Ballpark Chaser's best bucket list wish ever#Greatgiftidea

The Sully Baseball ‘In Memoriam” Video To MLB Players Who Have Recently Passed

The Last No – Hitter For Each MLB Franchise

The Last No - Hitter For Each Franchise - Updated every time there is a new no - hitter - click picture

The Dodgers have acquired infielder Elliot Johnson from the Rangers, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. Texas will receive cash considerations in the deal. Johnson, 31, provides a shortstop-capable utility option to plug into the Los Angeles depth chart, though it is hard to imagine he will crack the active roster to start the season wi […]

The Orioles have acquired catcher Audry Perez from the Rockies in exchange for cash, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports on Twitter. Perez is the third minor league backstop dealt away by Colorado this year. The 26-year-old has played just three games in the big leagues, but had a solid year at Triple-A last season (.292/.298/.419) with the Cardinals. Per […]

The Rays have released infielder Alexi Casilla, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune reports on Twitter. Tampa will avoid having to pay the veteran a $100K bonus with the move. The 30-year-old has previously spent time with the Twins and Orioles, averaging 269 trips to bat over the 2007-13 time frame while slashing .248/.302/.332 and swiping 80 bags in that str […]

Infielder Reid Brignac has opted out of his deal with the Marlins after learning he would not make the Opening Day roster, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). The 29-year-old is now a free agent. Brignac, 29, has not cracked 100 plate appearances in a big league season since back in 2011. Over parts of seven seasons, he owns a .222/.266/.314 slash ov […]

The Rangers have released righty Jamey Wright, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports on Twitter. Wright would have been owed a $100K bonus to keep him in the minors. Wright, 40, has spent 19 years in the big leagues. Last year, he tossed 70 1/3 frames for the Dodgers, putting up a 4.35 ERA with 6.9 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9. He is sure to draw inter […]